Businesses offering family-friendly activities

As winter break comes to a close, now is the time to pack in as much fun as possible before it's back to school.

Here is a list of places to go before school starts back up:

Thursday

Grab scarves and sweaters to ice skate only a hop, skip and jump away from the beach. The Strand is hosting a holiday ice-skating rink on Fifth Street between Pacific Coast Highway and Walnut Avenue. The rink will be open 4 to 10 p.m. Skate rentals are $5 for children and $7 for adults.

Hit the lanes with bowling at Fountain Bowl at 17110 Brookhurst St. Bowling is open 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. Games are $4.50 each until 6 p.m. and $5.50 after that. Bowling shoes can also be rented for $4. For more information, call (714) 963-7888.

Friday

Endless Food and Fun is hosting a New Year's Eve special event geared toward families. The restaurant opens regularly, but after 6 p.m., patrons need to purchase an events package.

The ticket includes access to a buffet, one game of laser tag and a champagne or sparkling cider toast at midnight. Patrons also get a $10 fun card for the arcade, or $15 for kids under 11. There will be movies playing in the party rooms for kids, which will stay open until 1 a.m. for the event.

The buffet closes at 10 p.m., but there will be appetizers and desserts for munching.

After the heavy food and endless sweets of the holidays, spend the afternoon amid fresh fruits and vegetables at the Farmer's Market. Pick out the kids' favorite healthy edibles to start the New Year off right. The Farmer's Market starts a 1 p.m. in Pier Plaza under the white tents. For more information, call (714) 573-0374.

Bowl in the dark at Cosmic Bowling at Fountain Bowl at 17110 Brookhurst St. Cosmic Bowling starts around 9 p.m. and lasts until 2 a.m. and is $30 a lane. Bowling shoes can also be rented for $4. Residents can also enjoy traditional bowling for $4.50 a game from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Games are $5.50 after 6 p.m. For more information, call (714) 963-7888.

The ice-skating rink at the Strand will be open 4 to 10 p.m. Skate rentals are $5 for children and $7 for adults.

Saturday

Start the new year with an icy dip into the ocean at the 11th annual Surf City Splash. The brave-hearted will take the plunge at noon, but come early for a pancake breakfast by the Lions Club. Breakfast will be served from 9:30 to 11 a.m. for $5 a person. All proceeds go to the Huntington Beach International Surf Museum.

Registration for the Surf City Splash is from 9:30 to 11 a.m. A $10 to $15 donation earns residents a Certificate of Lion-Heartedness for running into the water. For more information, go to http://www.hbsurfcitysplash.com.

Take a free tour of the Bolsa Chica Wetlands with the Amigos de Bolsa Chica. The tours begin every 15 minutes starting at 9 a.m. on a first-come, first-served basis. Docents will go over the history, birds, endangered species, ecology and restoration of the wetlands.

Tours leave out of the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve at 18000 Pacific Coast Highway until 10:30 a.m. For more information, call (714) 840-1575.

Cosmic Bowling is from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Fountain Bowl and is $30 a lane. Bowling shoes can be rented for $4. Residents can also enjoy traditional bowling starting at noon for $5.50 a game. For more information, call (714) 963-7888.

The ice-skating rink at the Strand will be open noon to 10 p.m. and skate rentals are $5 for children and $7 for adults.

Sunday

Bowling is open 8 a.m. to midnight at Fountain Bowl. Games are cheaper earlier in the day, starting at $2 from 8 to 9 a.m. and moving up 50 cents an hour until noon. After noon, games are $5.50. Bowling shoes can also be rented for $4. For more information, call (714) 963-7888.

The ice-skating rink at the Strand will be open noon to 10 p.m. Skate rentals are $5 for children and $7 for adults.